Strip feeder

ABSTRACT

A STRIP FEEDER IN WHICH THE STRIP CAPACITY IS NEARLY THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE FEEDER FRAME. THE STRIP ELEVATOR IS OPERATED BY A HALF-LENGTH CYLINDER THROUGH A MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE DEVICE. THE UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE STRIPS IS CONTROLLED TO AVOID JAMMING AS THE ELEVATOR RISES.

Oct. 2-6, 197 McGEE EI'AL STRIP FEEDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18,1969 DAVID L. M GEE DAVID A. SKALBECK INVENTORS BUG/(HORN, BLORE,KLAROU/ST 8 SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS D. L. M GEE ETA]- S'I'RIP FEEDER 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18. 1969 FIG. 4

1 innnn'l FIG. 5

DAVID L. MGEE DAVID A. SKALBECK I/VVENTORS BUG/(HORN, BLORE, KLAROU/S T8 SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS Oct. 25, 1971 MOGEE ETAL STRIP FEEDER 3Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed April 18. 1969 SUE/(HORN, BLORE, KLAROU/ST 8SPAR/(MAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 271-62 8 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A strip feeder in which the strip capacity isnearly the full height of the feeder frame. The strip elevator isoperated by a half-length cylinder through a mechanical advantagedevice. The upward pressure on the strips is controlled to avoid jammingas the elevator rises.

DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a feeder having a magazinefor storing a supply of wood strips and having means for feeding thestrips one-at-a-time to a veneer patching machine. The machine cutspatches out of the strips and forces the patches into holes in a sheetof veneer to thereby improve it.

In strip feeders now on the market, the strip capacity of the magazineof the feeder is only a minor fraction of the height of the frame. Thusthe associated patcher and other machinery must be shut down at frequentintervals to reload the feeder. This is time-consuming and expensive.

One reason for such limited capacity is that the feeder cannot begravity fed (for reasons known to those in the trade). Also, the feedercannot be made higher (which would increase its capacity) because theheight of the work tables surrounding the veneer patcher determines theheight of the feeder.

It is a main object of the invention to provide a feeder of the sameheight as prior feeders but having a substantially greater capacity thanprior feeders.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a strip feederwhich can handle a stack of strips having a height which is asubstantial portion of the height of the feeder.

A further object is to provide a feeder having a novel mechanism forraising the elevator of the strip magazine.

Another object is to provide a feeder having a novel mechanism formaintaining the pressure of the strips against the strip stop structureat the upper portion of the feeder proportional to the load of thestrips in the elevator.

Another object is to provide a feeder having a frame designed so thatthe surfaces and contact points between the frame and the strips resultin a minimum amount of friction and so that crooked strips are moreacceptable to the normal operation of the feeder.

Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a strip feeder embodying the concepts of ourinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the feeder;

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 2A2A of FIG.2;

FIG. 2B is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 2B-2B of FIG.2;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2, on ascale larger than that employed in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

Patented Oct. 26, 1971 FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken along lines 55of FIG. 2 on the same scale as FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the sheave and cable mechanism for raisingthe elevator;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 8-8 ofFIG. 1, on a larger scale than the parts are depicted in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

OVERALL DESCRIPTION The strip feeder includes a rectangular main frame11 (FIG. 1) and an elongate elevator 13 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which supportsand lifts a stack of wooden strips S. The elevator and its stack ofstrips S are urged upwardly against a roller assembly 15 (FIGS. 1 and 3)by means of a vertical lift cylinder 17 (FIG. 5). The cylinder isconnected to the elevator 13 by a cable and sheave mechanism to bedescribed.

A horizontal feed cylinder 19 (FIG. 1) has a stripengaging dog 21 (FIG.7) to feed strips S from the machine in consecutive one-after-the-otherfashion, beginning with the topmost strip. The elevator 13 progressivelyraises the stack so as to bring each strip into position to be engagedby the dog 21.

The feed cylinder 19 does not actually eject strips from the feeder, butprojects them from the feeder a desired distance, after which amechanism, which is located on or associated with the patching machinegrips the strip and pulls it from the strip feeder. Thereafter thestrip-engaging dog 21 is returned to its original position forengagement with an end of the next strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The main frame 11 will be described in detail, butonly because this will make it easier to follow the drawings. Thedetails are of no importance unless so indicated.

The frame 11 includes an elongate base channel 31 (FIGS. 2 and 3) whichis supported by pad plates 33. A pair of upright frame members 35 and 37(FIGS. 1 and 2) of channel form extend upwardly from the ends of thebase member 31. The side flanges at the upper end of the channel 37 arecut away for clearance purposes.

It is convenient to consider the frame 11 as comprising a front framesection and a rear frame section, which sections have as common members,the base and end channels 31, 35 and 37. The rear frame section includesa top frame member 39 of channel form, while the front frame sectionincludes a top frame member 41 of angle form. These top frame membersare connected at their ends to the upper ends of the end members 35 and37. Member 41 has the lower margin 43 thereof bent outwardly to providea guide for the wood strips and to permit a minimum amount of contactagainst the side of the topmost strip as it is ejected and pulled fromthe feeder. This gives better feeding for straight strips and enablescrooked strips to be handled. The rear frame section includes a pair ofcarriage guide posts 51 and 53 (FIGS. 2 and 3) connected between thebase member 31 and top member 39. The rear frame section also includesthree other connector pieces 55, 57 and 59 (FIG. 2) for strengtheningpurposes and positioned with the heel of each angle facing the magazineto reduce surface contact with the strips S. There are also a pair ofstrip guide plates for the rear frame section, there being one guideplate for each of the end frame members 35 and 37, one of such stripguide plates being shown in FIG. 2A and labeled 61.

Since the rear frame section has the upper and lower frame membersconnected by a plurality of connecting elements, the rear frame sectionmay be considered as being closed, while the front section is open inthat there are no vertical connecting members, posts, strips or pieces.The open front frame section enables loading strips into the machinefrom the front thereof.

There are two end strip guides for the front frame section, each havinga lower rigid post 71 (FIGS. 2 and 2A) and an upper post 73 which ispivotally mounted at 75 to the associated end member of the frame. Alatch 77 of conventional design releasably retains each upper pivotedsection 73 of the strip guide in its operative position, the top framemember 41 being notched out to accommodate the upper end of each pivotedguide post 73 (FIG. 2B) in order to prevent the leading corner of thetopmost strip from jamming into the gap which would exist at theconfluence of member 41 and member 37 if the pivoted guide post 73 werenot extended above the outwardly bent section 43 of member 41.

When the elevator 13 is lowered and the latches 77 are actuated torelease the upper guide sections 73, the guide section can be pivoteddownwardly and outwardly to the broken line positions shown in FIG. 1 toenable the stack of strips to be replenished.

The elevator 13 is part of an elevator mechanism which includes a pairof carriages 80 and 81 (FIGS. 2 and 3) the right hand carriage 81 beingshown in detail in FIG. 3. It includes a flat body member 83 passingthrough and guided in vertical slots formed by the guide posts 51 and53, and having front rollers 85 and rear rollers 87 (FIGS. 2 and 3)engaging said posts. The carriage includes a forwardly located uprightportion 89 slotted to receive the vertical flange 91 of the elevator 13.

The carriages 80 and 81 are elevated by the lift cylinder 17 via asheave and cable mechanism, the cylinder and mechanism being mounted onthe rear frame section. The mechanism includes a cable 101 (FIGS. 2 and6) which is anchored by a turnbuckle 103 to the rear frame section(specifically to the vertical connecting piece 57). The cable extends upand over a sheave 105 (FIGS. 2 and 6) then down and under a sheave 107,up and over a sheave 109, then over a sheave 111, whereafter it extendsdownwardly and is fixedly connected to the right hand carriage 81.Sheaves 105, 109 and 11 1 are mounted on the frame 11 (specifically on asheave mounting plate 113, FIG. while sheave 107 is mounted on a rod eye115. The rod eye is mounted on the upper end of the piston rod 117 ofthe lift cylinder 17.

The left hand carriage 80 is similarly elevated by the lift cylinder,there being a cable 131 (FIGS. 2 and 6) anchored at one end by aturnbuckle 133 to the rear frame section, then extending upwardly andover a sheave 135, then downwardly and under a sheave 137, then upwardlyand over sheaves 13 9 and 141, and then fixedly connected,

to the left hand carriage 80.

By the above arrangement, the lift cylinder 17 which is only about half,or less than half, of the height of the main frame 11, can, by means ofthe two-to-one mechanical advantage effected by the sheave and cablemechanism, lift the elevator 13 from its lowermost position shown inFIG. 3 (near the base of the frame 11) to an upper position near the topof the frame.

As the strips are elevated and dispensed, the load on the elevatordecreases. If the upward force on the elevator were constant, as thestrips were dispensed, the decreasing load of the strops would result inan increase in the force pressing the strips against the rollermechanism 15. This could cause jamming of the feeder and/or breaking ofthe strips.

This problem is avoided in the feeder of the present invention byproviding a mechanism to decrease the upward force on the stack ofstrips as the elevator rises. This mechanism is best shown in FIGS. 3and 4 and includes an air pressure regulating valve 151 connected in theair leading from the source of air to the pneumatic lift cylinder 17.The regulator 151 is mounted on an angle bracket 153 which in turn isadjustably mounted, in a manner to be presently described, on the rearframe section.

The pressure regulator has an actuating stem 157 projecting therefrominto engagement with the vertical elongate cam support member 1159,which is of angular form as is evident from FIG. 4. The cam supportmember is pivotally mounted at its lower end on sleeve 171 whichpivotally fits on a mounting bolt 173, the latter extending throughparallel mounting pieces 174, and secured by a nut 177.

FIG. 4 shows that the angle bracket 153 has a leg 175 which is securedby bolts 176 to the upper mounting piece 174 (as the parts are shown inFIG. 4). The leg has elongate slots so that when the bolts 176 areloosened, the regulator can be shifted back and forth relative to themounting pieces 174 and thus relative to the pivotal axis of the camsupport member 159.

There is a cam strip 181 which is co-extensive with the cam supportmember 1 59. The cam strip 181 is supported and held in position by aseries of screws, five being shown, and labeled 7185, 187, 189, 191 and193. Screws and 193 are hollow and have screws 184 and 194 slidablyextending therethrough and threading into the cam strip 181 so that theheads of screws 184 and 194 abut against the back of screws 185 and 193,respectively, and cause the left hand ends of the latter to abut againstthe cam strip. Hollow screws 185 and 193 thread through nuts and 197,respectively, which are welded or otherwise secured to the front face ofthe cam support member. Screws 187, 189 and 191 thread through nuts 199,201 and 203, respectively, which are welded or otherwise secured to therear face of the cam support member.

The shaft of carriage roller 87 has an extended portion 211 ('FIG. 4)which carries a cam roller 213 disposed in engagement with the frontface of the cam strip 181.

OPERATION As the lift cylinder 17 contracts, the elevator 13 will riseto move the cam roller 213 along the front face of the cam strip 181. Itis evident from FIG. 3 that the cam strip is distorted by the screws185-193 so that the upper portions thereof are progressively disposedfurther outwardly than the lower portions. Thus, as the carriage 81rises, the cam support strip will be pivoted counterclockwise slightly,such counterclockwise movement releasing the air regulator stem 157 toprogressively decrease the pressure fed to the lift cylinder 17. It ispointed out that the pressure of the air within the regulator 151 actingon the stem 157 applies a biasing force to the cam support strip 159urging it against the cam roller 213.

FIG. 8 shows the right hand end of the roller assembly 15 and shows theend pairs of the rollers labeled 241 and 242. Disposed beneath theroller assembly is a gate 245 which has shoulder screws 247, 249 and 250extending through slots 251 provided in the web of the right hand endframe member 37. The gate 245 can be vertically adjusted in any suitableway. The way shown in FIG. 8 comprises an adjustment screw 255 mountedon a bracket 257 in a manner to permit rotation of the screw but toprohibit endwise movement of the screw relative to the bracket. Theadjustment screw 255 threads through a lug 259 on the gate member, thelug projecting through a slot 261 provided in the web of the end framemember 37. When a jam nut 263 on the adjustment screw is unthreaded fromits jamming position, the position of the upper end of the gate 245 canbe adjusted 'by turning the adjustment screw, whereafter the jam nut canbe threaded back to its holding position. The purpose of the adjustmentof the gate 245 is to assure that only one strip S is ejected from thestrip feeder at a time.

FIGS. 1 and 7 show the means of mounting the dog 21. The dog is carriedby a cross head 271 which slidably fits on guides 273 provided on theframe of the machine.

MODIFIED FORM The present invention can also be incorporated in asubframe 11b to be used as part of a conversion kit. The subframe isshown in FIG. 9 and could be welded to an existing main frame of afeeding machine. What would be done is to remove from the existingmachine whatever elevator mechanism is present (except possibly theelevator itself) and then to weld the subframe 11b to the existing mainframe 110.

The subframe would comprise upper and lower members 301 and 303connected by suitable vertical connecting members including guide posts51b and 53b. The lift cylinder 17b would be the same as the lifecylinder 17 in the first described form of the invention, and the sheaveand cable arrangement connecting the lift cylinder to the elevators 80band 81b would be the same as in the first form of the invention. Anelevator 13b of the present invention would be employed. The airpressure regulating system of the first form would be employed so thatthere would be an air regulator 151b controlled by a cam mechanism,including the cam support member 15% and the cam strip 181b, the camstrip being engaged by a roller 213b carried by the left hand carriageas the parts are shown in FIG. 9. It is further contemplated that thefront section of the existing main frame would already be at leastpartially open, and if not open enough, suflicient elements would beremoved to render it open. Vertical guide plates for the wooden stripswould be provided preferably with pivoted upper sections of the typeshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the first form of the invention. After thesubframe is Welded in place on the existing main frame, and thealterations above mentioned carried out, the resulting strip feederwould have much greater strip capacity than before, and also provide forregulation of the air pressure to the lift cylinder so as to effect adecrease of the lift cylinder pressure as the elevator rises (and thestrip load decreases).

An advantage of both forms of the invention is that with the adjustmentscrews 185-193, the cam strip 181 can 'be deformed into a non-linearfashion so as to effect the desired decrease in pressure. It is pointedout that the elevator 13 and its carriages and the remaining elevatorstructure have some weight and frictional resistance to elevation, apartfrom the weight of the load of the strips. Therefore, simply linearlyreducing the upward applied pressure on the stack of strips will notresult in the optimum pressure control. A non-linear arrangement can beachieved with the present invention to obtain the optimum results.

Having described the invention in what is considered to be the preferredembodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understood that theinvention is not to be limited other than by the provisions of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A strip feeder comprising:

an open rectangular frame which is elongate in a horizontal direction,

an elevator for wooden strips or similar articles of commerce, meansmounting the elevator for movement from a lower position adjacent thebottom of said frame to an upper position adjacent the top of saidframe,

means for successively ejecting strips from said elevator,

lifting means for automatically raising said elevator as strips aredischarged from said elevator,

said lifting means comprising an upright cylinder which is approximatelyone-half the height of said frame in the telescoped condition of saidcylinder,

motion multiplying means connecting said cylinder to said elevator toraise said elevator from its lower to its upper position,

a pair of carriages for said elevator,

spaced guide means guiding said carriages for vertical movement,

said motion multiplying means including reeving means connecting saidcylinder to each carriage,

control means for decreasing the total applied upward force as theelevator rises,

said control means includng a vertical cam strip mounted for pivotingmovement,

an air regulator for said cylinder disposed in operative relationship toa portion of said strip, and

cam engaging means for pivoting said strip and thereby actuating saidregulator as said elevator rises.

2. A feeder as in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a closed rearsection and an open front section, the latter providing for replenishingstrips to said elevator, and

guide means openable to facilitate said replenishing and means toreleasably latch said guide means in its closed position.

3. A feeder as in claim 1 wherein there are means for varying theconfiguration of said cam strip to variously control the upward pressureon said strips.

4. A strip feeder comprising a frame,

an elevator for wooden strips or similar articles of commerce, saidelevator being mounted in said frame for vertical movement,

means for applying an ejecting force successively on said strips,

and cylinder means for elevating said elevator as the strips aredischarged,

a valve for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to saidcylinder means from a source of fluid under pressure, and

control means coupled between the elevator and the frame for actuatingthe valve as the elevator rises so as to decrease the pressure of fluidto said cylinder means.

5. A strip feeder comprising a frame,

an elevator for wooden strips or similar articles of commerce, saidelevator being mounted in said frame for vertical movement,

means for applying an ejecting force successively on said strips,

and cylinder means for elevating said elevator as the strips aredischarged,

control means for varying the upward force of said cylinder means onsaid elevator as said elevator rises,

said control means including a vertical cam strip mounted for pivotingmovement,

an air regulator for said cylinder means disposed in operativerelationship to a portion of said strip,

cam engaging means for pivoting said strip and thereby actuating saidregulator as said elevator rises.

6. A feeder comprising a frame, an elevator movably mounted on saidframe for supporting a stack of flat objects,

stop means above said elevator,

power means for forcing said elevator upwardly to bring the uppermostflat object against said stop means and lifting said elevator insuccessive stages as said flat objects are dispensed from the top of thestack, and

control means coupled between said elevator and frame and responsive toupward movement of the elevator for regulating the power means so as tomaintain substantially constant the contact pressure of said stackagainst said stop means at all levels of operation of said elevator.

7. A feeder comprising an elevator for supporting a stack of flatobjects,

stop means above said elevator,

power means for forcing said elevator upwardly to bring the uppermostflat object against said stop means and lifting said elevator insuccessive stages as said flat objects are dispensed from the top of thestack,

control means responsive to upward movement of the elevator forregulating the power means so as to maintain substantially constant thecontact pressure of said stack against said stop means at all levels ofoperation of said elevator,

said power means comprising a fluid pressure operated prime mover, saidcontrol means acting to decrease the magnitude of the fluid pressuresupplied to said prime mover as the elevator rises.

8. In a strip feeder having an elevator, means for elevating saidelevator including an air cylinder,

an upright strip pivoted at its lower end for movement about ahorizontal axis,

guide means on said elevator engaging said strip,

an air regulator valve having a regulator stem operatively engaging saidstrip so that as said elevator rises the contour of said strip causesvariations in the position of said regulating stem and hence variationsin the force exerted by said cylinder, and

means for adjusting the contour of said strip to thereby change themanner in which said stem is actuated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sage 27l62 Treif 27162 Henry 1879Lindstrom 27162 Pabich 27162 Anderson 271-43 Bradshaw 27130 RICHARD E.AEGERTER, Primary Examiner

